


A Delicate Flame

by lovehotelreservation



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Drama, Overprotective, Protectiveness, Romance, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 22:20:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13109661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovehotelreservation/pseuds/lovehotelreservation
Summary: Having lost so much to the monstrous shadows that threaten to blight out the sun, Ignis finds himself all the more in dire need to protect you, even at the cost of his state of mind and rationality.





	A Delicate Flame

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO EVERYONE! After playing through the angsty splendor of Episode Ignis, seeing his intensity had me H Y P E D to write, thus resulting in this one-shot! Needless to say, I have placed my down payment for intense, overly protective Ignis, and I hoped to have captured that with this one-shot!
> 
> Please enjoy~!

Though the world was sunk into darkness, Ignis--with scarred eyes and vision lost--could still detect the presence of light.

Whether the glow brightly illuminates, shakily flickers, or weakly extinguishes.

As he was adjusting to being blinded, he sensed as though the world became a lot more grim upon the disappearance of Prompto and the departure of Noctis.

Still, the former returned while the latter would do the same, albeit for an achingly short visit.

However, in the ten years that passed upon Noctis's absence, Ignis did not lose hope in face of the hopelessness caused by Ardyn's chaos, nor sight in the gentle, near heavenly glow he found refuge in whenever he was around you.

Though the bonds he shared with Gladiolus and Prompto helped him persevere in the wake of becoming blind and Noctis being trapped away in the Crystal, he felt most comforted by you and your love.

The relationship between you both started off under friendly circumstances. While he was tasked with guiding and caring for Noctis through his adolescence, he frequented the patisserie that your family ran for his own personal indulgence. Kind and witty, the fact that you were his age while still improving your cooking skill made him drawn towards you, especially over your technique and presentation, which he implemented in his own desserts.

While you assisted with composing new ways to satisfy Noctis's sweet tooth, Ignis offered to teach you magic, which was something you always wanted to learn but could not due to school and running the family pastry shop. Though you mainly had an affinity for healing spells, he was ever amused when you were able to conjure enough fire to assist with your cooking.

Of course, all the time spent with you did not go unnoticed by his friends, who were quick and eager to tease him. Still, ever the supportive brothers they were, the three urged him to pursue you once he eventually started developing feelings for you.

He always felt the concept of soulmates to be something out of fairytale, but the more time he spent with you, enraptured by your own brand of charm and smile, he yearned to pursue whatever was a more realistic take on such a lofty, romanticized idea.

By the time he realized his feelings for you, however, he was instructed to take Noctis to Altissia for his engagement to Lunafreya. There was no better time to take one more visit to your pastry shop, asking if you'd like to accompany him to the gorgeous rooftop gardens at downtown Insomnia, a sanctuary of tranquility in the heart of the liveliest part of town. Not minding the cliché circumstances--colorful flower blossoms looming above while gentle moonlight cascaded from the night sky--he confessed his feelings to you, swearing that he would remain in touch during his absence.

And you did the same, happily and tenderly as he did.

With him set to leave the next morning, the two of you shared your first kiss, eager to share another one and more.

However, the next time you would was beneath darkened onyx skies at the front of Lestallum's city limits.

Upon the chaotic fall of Insomnia, you had traversed across Lucis with your family and other dispersed citizens, following the instructions of Crownsguard in search of refuge. Despite losing your home, you were comforted by the worried texts and phone calls exchanged with Ignis, who kept to his word and adamantly checked in on you as much as he possibly could. The two of you longed to see each other during this tumultuous time, seeking one another's embrace and lips.

You knew that despite his unwavering composed nature, he was gutted at the cruel fate that befell the royal family he dedicated himself to serving. As for him, he could see that beneath your reassuring messages of your well-being was a sense of terrified desolation, an undeserved attack on your innocence caused by the cruelty of Niflheim.

Your arms wished to embrace and offer him comfort while his desired to wrap around you out of protection ~~perhaps to even cage~~.

The need to soothe and put him at ease--having built up during his time away with news of the Titan's awakening and wrath, the attack and destruction of Altissia, the passing of Lunafreya and the disappearance of Noctis--came to a head, spilling forth with the tears shed as your beloved stood before you, his expression sullen and his eyes scarred and blinded.

Though Ignis had no intention of cowering away from the approaching age of daemon rule, he still could not help but feel ashamed in your presence, hearing the hitch in your breath. While he had no regrets in sacrificing his vision for the sake of a friend who was essentially a brother, he knew your relationship would not be the same upon his return. The love shared between the two of you was a blossoming one, a small bud whose growth was steady but minimal with the connection maintained over distance.

You bonded together over your mutual enthusiasm for cooking, the two of you exchanging recipes and pictures of new experimental dishes, along with expressing your excitement to return to the kitchen as a couple over phone calls and texts.

As much as it broke his heart at the thought, he was whole-heartedly expecting the end of your relationship before it had time to develop further.

Instead, he was met by your hurried footsteps towards him, your arms and body heat engulfing him in a tight, loving embrace, your crying lips muffled with every kiss you bestowed onto his face.

He could feel your tears smear against his cheek, spread further with your kisses, which in turn made his own eyes become watery with the swell of emotions bursting from him.

Never would he forget the light taste of salt on his tongue.

Far too enraptured by all the feelings whirling within you, your words were jumbled, incoherent, but genuine in their love and relief nonetheless, all along the lines of one single message:

_"Ignis, you're here and you're alive! There's nothing more that I could possibly want!"_

His cane fell to the floor with a clatter while he eagerly returned your embrace, hugging and clinging to you tightly as his face buried into your neck, taking in your scent and the softness of your skin. Up until now, he was used to being the one that others relied on, a pillar of support that never wavered in face of adversity.

Now, however, he was yearning to be soothed and comforted by you, to take in your affection all for himself in a rare display of vulnerability.

Even while the world was soon plunged into darkness that would span over the next 10 years, it was during this moment that he realized the gorgeous splendor of the light that shone off of you.

As if he needed more reason to keep you safe from _**any**_ harm. Here, his dedication to keep you safe, to ensure that your light remained sparkling and radiant, was set in stone.

But much like the gods that befell to the malicious schemes of the Usurper, this pure wish of a commendable but mere mortal was not impervious.

With Lestallum becoming the new capital and sanctuary to all of Eos, Hunters and Glaives alike joined together to keep the lands safe and illuminated during the absence of the True King. As promised to Noctis, Ignis joined Gladiolus and Prompto with leading this newfound alliance, helping new recruits train while canvassing through Lucis in search of ways to stave off the daemons.

Despite having to deal the bleak and dreary atmosphere of the current times, Ignis did not lose hope, especially now that he had a home to return to in Lestallum, with you eagerly awaiting him after each of his missions. The both of you even were able to carry out your dream of cooking together, for he refused to allow his impairment to keep him away from the kitchen, especially once he was able to maneuver around without a cane.

A contrast to how he refused to have you joined the assembled resistance that he worked diligently to train and lead.

Having once been delighted to teach you magic as means to make things easier at work and all, the thought of you actually heading out to battle and succumbing to the hands of an enemy terrified him to no end.

Thus, for as adamant as Ignis was in having you stay in Lestallum, you were equally as stubborn. While you were happy to provide sweet indulgences to all the Glaives, hunters and refugees, you did not want your magic capabilities to go wasted.

There were only so many Glaives proficient in healing magic, in addition to scouring for curatives and their ingredients was a formidable feat in itself.

Besides, as you so tearfully explained to him within your tiny apartment space after yet another attempt at trying to join the frontlines, you especially did not want to be docile and blissfully ignorant in the comforts of Lestallum's safe haven. Not while he was putting himself at risk to lose even more than beyond his vision for your sake.

You simply wanted to help and protect him as he did to you.

A pure, loving desire that made his heart swell and ache.

Your words only emboldened his need to protect you even further, while also making his shoulders and chest feel painfully tense.

Especially since he would gladly sacrifice his entire being to the Astrals should you ever be put at peril.

And yet, even if he could not see the tears stream down your cheeks, feeling them soak through the material of his dress shirt as you cried into his chest was more than enough to make his breath become still.

As reluctant as he ever felt, he quietly remarked that he would speak to Monica about assigning you to upcoming expeditions. He found peace to see the look of relief on your face, even if he still felt on edge about the thought of you venturing out into the dark.

However, knowing how worried and concerned Ignis would be, Monica made sure to have you only join expeditions that were close to Lestallum, grouping you with well-seasoned Hunters and Glaives. As your fire magic only progressed to a small flame the size of your hand, you were relegated to healer and camp chef, which you were more than fine with. A string of successes brought your lover immense relief, especially when he was away on missions with Prompto, Gladiolus and the likes of Cor and Aranea to explore the royal tombs and other significant landmarks to Lucis's royal bloodline.

You were overjoyed to use your healing and cooking talents for the sake of your fellow human, and there was nothing else that Ignis cherished more than your happiness.

Except when your well-being was threatened to cease to exist.

It only took one frantic phone call for Ignis to drop whatever task he was doing, his heart racing to the point that he honestly believed his chest would implode.

There was report that your expedition group was attacked.

With Hunters and Glaives, it was to be expected, obviously.

But one lone daemon managed to slip away during the chaos of battle, lured in by the sight of a single human all alone at a nearby campsite.

Ignis didn't wait to be officially deployed to where the attack transpired.

No matter the distance, no matter the danger, no matter _**anything**_ that stood in his path, he would make his way to you.

He would protect you.

Perhaps even--

No.

He _would_ kill for you.

Upon arrival to where your group was meant to scout around, he did not need to see the carnage that was unfolding. The haunting growls of monstrous daemons, the clashing of blades and summoned magic, the cries and yells of Hunters and Glaives as they worked to fend off the demonic creatures. While he would have wanted to assist, his main priority for even being here was you.

Even with his sharpened senses, he could not hear the sound of your voice.

His hands were already on his daggers.

But then he heard his name.

It was the voice of another Glaive, the very one that was quick to be by your side and tend to your vicious wounds as soon as you were attacked. Though his tone was panicked, he reassured to Ignis that you still had a pulse, but were currently unconscious.

But Ignis did not register the voice of a friendly ally.

Especially when his ears picked up on the faint sound of your delicate breathing.

Somehow his vision was obscured in darkness even further.

In that very moment, all he could comprehend and see was that wretched memory of coming across the bodies of Lunafreya and Noctis upon the Altar with Ravus, the frail Pryna using the last of her energy to offer him a glimpse of the horrid fate that was to befall his dear friend.

In his mind, he saw you on the ground, too wounded to move, crying out in agony for _his_ help, the Glaive hovering over you had a potion in hand, only for it to be a ruse for a smirking Ardyn to plunge a knife right into your heart.

Perhaps he would never get over that moment of being too helpless to protect Noctis in that moment.

But he could at least protect you from anyone who even considered hurting you.

"I-Ignis! What are you--?!"

Alarmed, the Glaive suddenly found himself shoved to the floor with a fiery dagger pointed right at his face. In utter disbelief, he looked up to face the imposing, wrathful expression on his leader's features.

Having carefully lifted you into one arm, Ignis only continued to draw his weapon in the direction of someone who _should_ be his ally. However, now possessed by the paranoia that he fought to calm and soothe with his own rationality, he only snarled in response,

"I refuse to allow anyone to harm the one I love most!" His hold on his dagger's hilt tightening, he hissed, "You will _**pay**_ with your life if you so much as lay a bloody hand on her!"

Rendered a frightened mess in wake of Ignis's intense fury, the Glaive was left to babble nonsensically, offering a multitude of promises to never even think of harming you.

But those words did no matter to Ignis, who withdrew his dagger to instead carry you away in his arms, your safety being his only priority.

His world was illuminated once again, even by severe means.

Something that he could comprehend, fathom, despite being unable to actually see it.

Regardless, by the time you woke up, you found yourself in what looked to be in a bedroom, an unfamiliar one with minimal furnishings but still maintained a pleasant aesthetic. Despite the faint but notable sting of pain experienced by your bandaged body, the fact that there were lights shining down upon you from the ceiling made you feel at ease.

Even if your boyfriend was like that of a brooding shadow lingering by your side, his hands holding onto yours.

It was hard to tell how long he had been sitting there while keeping watch over you, but as soon as he heard you stir, you heard a sigh that was nothing short of rapture.

"Darling, you're awake," Ignis remarked with relief, a small but joyful smile on his features as he lifted a hand to gingerly cup your face. "Thank goodness."

There weren't enough words to describe his happiness when he saw you lean into his palm, nuzzling against his hand affectionately.

"I'm so glad that you're here, Ignis. That was really a close one," you murmured, wincing as you thought back to when that daemon struck you.

His hand squeezed yours while his smile waned. "Far too close indeed. However..." Trailing off, he leaned forward to bring his lips against yours. He wished to indulge himself further with your kiss, but he broke away to then remark affirmatively, "You're here now, safe and alive. It's all I could ever need."

"The same can be said for me," you replied with pure bliss, furthering the happiness in his heart.

And then you asked him a question.

"Though on that note, where are we, Ignis?"

A simple question that would require a difficult answer.

Still, like with most situations that he had to face, composure was key.

As was carefully crafted wording.

"It's the place I've managed to create refuge in once power was sent to this region up north, my love." He paused, gesturing around the room off-handedly. "I've used this little abode as my own personal base of operations of sorts whenever I have to explore the Lucian ruins in this area."

Smiling warmly, his thumb stroked over your cheek with utmost delicacy and care. "I must admit, with how close it is to a splendid array of resources and ingredients, I consider it to be a home of sorts--I do hope you will come to feel the same."

There was a faint hint of finality to his tone, one which was lost on you as you offered him a smile of your own.

Your hand rested over his. "It's certainly cozy for a little weekend getaway. Though..." You let out a fond sigh. "I think our place in Lestallum's still pretty lovely on its own merit, especially since everyone else is there. It's our first home as a couple after all!" 

The corners of Ignis's lips began to trail down.

Composure was key.

"I think...Lestallum may no longer be ideal to live in, my love."

You were understandably confused. "'No longer ideal?' Ignis, what are you saying?"

Composure was useless.

Trying to keep his breath and tone calm, Ignis thought it was better for the sternness in his tone to be a bit more pronounced. "Lestallum, Galdin Quay--no matter. Anywhere that you go where I am not able to be physically by your side is a place I simply cannot allow you to remain in."

Hearing you stumble over your words in surprise made his heart wrench even while he kept his posture upright, unwavering.

"Is this about the mission? Oh Ignis..." Now his face was the one to be cradled, just before your lips touched over his skin, your actions apologetic. "I'm so sorry for worrying you like that. It just couldn't be helped.” Offering him a reassuring smile, you added, “If anything, maybe this is a sign for me to work on my magic capabiliti--"

"Absolutely _**not**_."

With the harsh, striking tone of his voice, any facade of gentlemanly tranquility had crumbled.

"Ig…nis...?"

You sounded so lost, so confused, so hurt.

But this was for your own good.

While careful to do so, he proceeded to sit beside you on the bed, his arms wrapping and caging around your body. His embrace was as secure as it was rigid.

Ignis began to speak, his voice admonishing to the circumstances of the world you lived in. "You shouldn't even need to be in a position where you are put into peril. If anything happens to you, I'd--" His head lowered, bowing towards your direction as he clung to you.

The warmth of his tears fell onto your cheeks, his shoulders as shaky as his voice, even if his words were made for a painfully genuine confession.

"I'd die. I would truly and honestly die."

You gasped, your breath stilted in surprise.

Your lover continued, finally expressing all the feelings and vulnerabilities that have been welling deep within him. "I have already-- I will lose my closest friend, _my brother_ in a matter of years. For as much as I've accepted this to maintain my own peace of mind, my own sanity, it does not ease the pain any less. You know this fully well."

His hand pressed against the back of your head, drawing you even closer into his embrace. "But if I-- If I were to lose you, the love of my life...!" He spoke this between gritted teeth, hot tears continuing to trail down his face. "I will have truly lost everything. Not even spending my remaining years in blessed peace with Gladio, Prompto, and everyone else could fill the void that would surely be left if you were to leave."

"Ignis..." The tone in your voice was telling of your feelings. A conflict between understandably alarmed by his sudden brash decision over protecting you to wanting nothing else but to soothe the pains of the man you loved so much, wishing to prevent any suffering he may have to endure.

This was going to be a situation that would not be resolved quickly nor easily.

Still, he found relief in feeling the welcoming heat of the embrace you offered in return. His voice softened to a murmur, he went on to declare, "I do not want to live in a world where you are not in it, where you are stolen away from me."

His hands moved, desperate to hold and cup your cheeks once again. "I never want to even glimpse at what that life looks like. I never want to..." He trailed off, suddenly in need to kiss you, to bury himself in your loving affection.

Amongst the embraces and kisses shared between you both, Ignis wept, desperately clinging to and cradling the light he would rather keep aflame by burning the whole world twice over.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Something to note, but my original concept for this one-shot was a bit more twisted and lewd. Though that could honestly serve as a follow-up to this piece if I ever get around to writing it out~ EyeballEmoji.jpg


End file.
